Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[loki]

The Mavericks have been hesitant to buy out Klay Thompson due to the strong interest from the Lakers and Heat, per @JakeLFischer

Good on them for trying, but Klay has been a negative value for a while now. This ends in a buyout unless they want Vanderbilt for some bizarre reason.

[Scott41theMavs]

Good on them for trying, but Klay has been a negative value for a while now. This ends in a buyout unless they want Vanderbilt for some bizarre reason.

Both the Lakers and the  Heat want him. Buying him out would be a front office fail. Trade or keep. No buyout. No no no.

[loki]

Both the Lakers and the  Heat want him. Buying him out would be a front office fail. Trade or keep. No buyout. No no no.

The Heat want him for Jovic or a buyout, and they don't have the picks to dump Jovic's contract. 

The Lakers may be able to scrounge up enough value to dump Vanderbilt on a 3rd team, but they would have nothing meaningful left to send back to Dallas. Otherwise you're looking at 2/3 of Hardy, Knecht, Laravia. That only makes the roster crunch worse.

[DanSchwartzgan]

The Heat want him for Jovic or a buyout, and they don't have the picks to dump Jovic's contract. 

The Lakers may be able to scrounge up enough value to dump Vanderbilt on a 3rd team, but they would have nothing meaningful left to send back to Dallas. Otherwise you're looking at 2/3 of Hardy, Knecht, Laravia. That only makes the roster crunch worse.

Surely Knecht would be attractive to a third team.  So all Dallas has to deal with is Hardy.

Buying out Hardy is much more beneficial than buying out Klay.  That additional space under the tax could be meaningful if the right opportunity were to arise.

[KillerLeft]

Jake Fischer had us drafting Nate Ament. He’s currently on my shit list until,he breaks a news story.

Yeah, but he had the Mavericks drafting Ament because someone from the Mavericks told him they were going to draft Ament. That one had “calculated media leak to encourage someone to trade up with us” written all over it.

[FireNicoHarrison]

The Heat want him for Jovic or a buyout, and they don't have the picks to dump Jovic's contract. 

The Lakers may be able to scrounge up enough value to dump Vanderbilt on a 3rd team, but they would have nothing meaningful left to send back to Dallas. Otherwise you're looking at 2/3 of Hardy, Knecht, Laravia. That only makes the roster crunch worse.

Yes but they are win now mode, they can't wait.

We don't have any rush, keep calm and listen offers... Let them push the panic button.

[omahen]

Good on them for trying, but Klay has been a negative value for a while now. This ends in a buyout unless they want Vanderbilt for some bizarre reason.

I don't understand why would Lakers have interest in the first place (even if it is a buyout). Their roster so far is making a decent sense in terms of personel and roles, Klay would imho simply not fit in. Their remaining need is a SF/PF type, imho. Spending assets on Klay would be imho a very bad move.

- They have 16 players signed already. Their depth at SG/SF spots is: Reaves, Grimes, Thybulle, Williams and Carr. Without taking into account Knecht and Hardy, from which at least one would be gone. SG/SF position is covered well, imho. 

- They have plenty of tertiary scoring on the team with Sexton, Grimes. They also have plenty of volume 3pt shooting - besides Luka and AR, Grimes and Sexton attempted over five threes per game. Williams and Carr will also be volume shooters in their limited minutes. 

- They need defenders next to Luka and AR and Klay is not it. They brought Williams and Thybulle to play defense, but if they bring Klay now, their minutes would be reduced to neglectable. 

- Their primary position of need is a SF/PF wing, preferably one that is an above average defender. 

- Lakers intentionally went young this summer. Looney is the oldest player and he is 30. 

As for the trade:

- even Vando for Klay doesn't make much sense for Lakers, as they would create even a bigger hole at PF spot with even less assets to bring in someone else. Unless the plan would be to play Luka full time at PF (on defense), creating room for three smaller PG/SG/SF types. But I also don't believe in such a lineup, as they would be (too) small. 

- trading something like Hardy and Knecht for Klay would solve the roster crunch, but they would come very close to the first apron, again leaving less flexibility

[Dundalis]

I don't understand why would Lakers have interest in the first place (even if it is a buyout). Their roster so far is making a decent sense in terms of personel and roles, Klay would imho simply not fit in. Their remaining need is a SF/PF type, imho. Spending assets on Klay would be imho a very bad move.

- They have 16 players signed already. Their depth at SG/SF spots is: Reaves, Grimes, Thybulle, Williams and Carr. Without taking into account Knecht and Hardy, from which at least one would be gone. SG/SF position is covered well, imho. 

- They have plenty of tertiary scoring on the team with Sexton, Grimes. They also have plenty of volume 3pt shooting - besides Luka and AR, Grimes and Sexton attempted over five threes per game. Williams and Carr will also be volume shooters in their limited minutes. 

- They need defenders next to Luka and AR and Klay is not it. They brought Williams and Thybulle to play defense, but if they bring Klay now, their minutes would be reduced to neglectable. 

- Their primary position of need is a SF/PF wing, preferably one that is an above average defender. 

- Lakers intentionally went young this summer. Looney is the oldest player and he is 30. 

As for the trade:

- even Vando for Klay doesn't make much sense for Lakers, as they would create even a bigger hole at PF spot with even less assets to bring in someone else. Unless the plan would be to play Luka full time at PF (on defense), creating room for three smaller PG/SG/SF types. But I also don't believe in such a lineup, as they would be (too) small. 

- trading something like Hardy and Knecht for Klay would solve the roster crunch, but they would come very close to the first apron, again leaving less flexibility

The rumors linking the Lakers to PJ sound more feasible. Don't really have anything we'd want though outside Carr.

[Dundalis]

I agree!  My feeling is that PJ is the outlier who can't play with Flagg--and I like PJ.  Just don't think he fits with this evolving "team".  I use the word evolving literally because I hope there are still changes to come.

I keep seeing this frequently online in different places where people are automatically putting PJ in the can't shoot category. Yet he's a career 35.4% shooter, and only shot below 34.8% from deep twice in his 7 year career. I know two of them have come in the last 3 seasons, but the fact is he's a better career shooter than someone most are putting in the shooters category, in Santi Aldama, and has had multiple seasons above 37%, where Aldama hasn't had one.

I know there's issues where we were seeing PJ not really passing to Coop much, but I think that's at least partially a coaching/system issue and also possibly a Coop being a rookie issue, where he's now the proven, established star alongside Kyrie (Luka had similar issues his rookie season with some of the experienced vets not giving him the ball). I'm not really ready to write PJ off as a non shooter, when the bulk of his career he's been fine from deep. Especially now that he should have an easier time getting open shots with Kyrie back than he did last season. I also expect him to be given a more defined role on offense, now that we have a coach who actually has an actual interest in implementing one.

[omahen]

The rumors linking the Lakers to PJ sound more feasible. Don't really have anything we'd want though outside Carr.

Fisher/Stein have been very consistent that Lakers are not interested in PJ. Personally I think, he would be a great fit. It would mess up their MLE/BAE situation for next year, though. 

I agree that Lakers don't have the assets that would interest Mavs. They are not trading Carr.

[Smitty]

Far from just my idea. I've seen more than one talk about a trade framework similar to this, but diving into the Lakers situation, this is where they stand:

16 Guaranteed Contracts
Total Salary: $200,897,322
First Apron Space: $8,117,678
Tradable FRP: (0).... (1) tradable '32 FRP Swap 
Tradable SRP: (3)

Like the Mavs, they need to get down to 15 eventually. They are also hard capped at Apron 1. Their depth chart looks something like this:

Luka | Sexton | Bronny
AR | Thybulle | Carr | Hardy
Grimes | Z. Williams | Knecht | Thiero
Sandro | LaRavia | Vanderbilt
Kessler | Looney

In a 2 for 1 trade of Hardy+Knecht for Klay, it can look something like this:

DAL: Jaden Hardy (-$11.4M)
LAL: Klay Thompson (+$7.2M)
BKN: Dalton Knecht (+$4.2M)

This would leave the Lakers $858,441 below A1.
The Mavs would be $13,757,918 below the Tax Line.
The Nets would get a flyer on a 25-year-old Wing (expiring), for free.

Add SRP's wherever you'd like...

The Mavs could then waive Hardy (expiring), while also freeing up the use of the full MLE ($12,044,000). Can be opportunistic the rest of the summer and through the deadline. All while staying under the tax line.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Michael Scotto: The Toronto Raptors and Andre Jackson Jr. have agreed to a deal, league sources told @hoopshype. He’ll compete for a roster spot with the Raptors. He spent the past three seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks

x.com

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Keith Smith: Moe Wagner's contract with the Brooklyn Nets came in a little lower than was reported: 2026-27: $9M 2027-28: $9.45M 2027-28 is a mutual option, as was reported. Either Wagner or the Nets can opt in for 2027-28. Brooklyn has roughly $4.9M remaining in cap space for this season.

x.com

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The Bucks and Clippers have remained active in their pursuits of restricted free agent Peyton Watson, but a resolution may not come until early September as Watson and his agent, Rich Paul, are willing to remain patient, per @JakeLFischer. Atlanta “was involved.” Cleveland is interested in both Kuminga and Watson. (via @BleacherReport)

x.com

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The Los Angeles Lakers have NOT been in pursuit of PJ Washington, per @JakeLFischer. (via @BleacherReport)

x.com

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The Warriors signed De'Anthony Melton to a two-year, $12.4 million contract using the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception. Melton's contract contains a player option for the 2027-28 season.

HoopsHype

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Stefan Bondy: Gersson Rosas’s contract was up. Per league sources, Rosas — who played an important role in building the Knicks championship roster — felt like he needed to grow as an executive, which also meant exploring other opportunities. Left on good terms with Leon Rose and his staff.

Twitter

[omahen]

This would leave the Lakers $858,441 below A1.
The Mavs would be $13,757,918 below the Tax Line.
The Nets would get a flyer on a 25-year-old Wing (expiring), for free.

Add SRP's wherever you'd like...

The Mavs could then waive Hardy (expiring), while also freeing up the use of the full MLE ($12,044,000). Can be opportunistic the rest of the summer and through the deadline. All while staying under the tax line.

This is why I don't see the trade as realistic. Klay doesn't cover the Lakers positions of need, mainly a SF/PF wing and perhaps another back-up center (I think Mamu will play a lot of back-up center). Being less than a mil under the 1st apron basically limits what Lakers could do in regards to Kuminga, who they are supposed trying to get. As well as the back up center. 

I simply don't believe that Lakers have interest trading for Klay. It doesn't make sense. On a buyout, perhaps.

[omahen]

Far from just my idea. I've seen more than one talk about a trade framework similar to this, but diving into the Lakers situation, this is where they stand:

16 Guaranteed Contracts
Total Salary: $200,897,322
First Apron Space: $8,117,678
Tradable FRP: (0).... (1) tradable '32 FRP Swap 
Tradable SRP: (3)

Like the Mavs, they need to get down to 15 eventually. They are also hard capped at Apron 1. Their depth chart looks something like this:

Luka | Sexton | Bronny
AR | Thybulle | Carr | Hardy
Grimes | Z. Williams | Knecht | Thiero
Sandro | LaRavia | Vanderbilt
Kessler | Looney

In a 2 for 1 trade of Hardy+Knecht for Klay, it can look something like this:

DAL: Jaden Hardy (-$11.4M)
LAL: Klay Thompson (+$7.2M)
BKN: Dalton Knecht (+$4.2M)

This would leave the Lakers $858,441 below A1.
The Mavs would be $13,757,918 below the Tax Line.
The Nets would get a flyer on a 25-year-old Wing (expiring), for free.

Add SRP's wherever you'd like...

The Mavs could then waive Hardy (expiring), while also freeing up the use of the full MLE ($12,044,000). Can be opportunistic the rest of the summer and through the deadline. All while staying under the tax line.

Here is a trade that could make sense to Lakers. Add draft capital as you like:

Atl: Knecht (they stay under the tax, but they add another player they need to cut)
Lakers: Klay, Kuminga Snt with starting salary at 13 mil or lower (they stay under the 1st apron)
Mavs: Vando, Hardy or Laravia (Mavs add 1 mil of salaries)

[F Gump]

Surely Knecht would be attractive to a third team.  So all Dallas has to deal with is Hardy.

Buying out Hardy is much more beneficial than buying out Klay.  That additional space under the tax could be meaningful if the right opportunity were to arise.

If I understand the rules correctly, Hardy may not be able to be traded to Dallas, since DAL traded him away on the same contract.